What to do now?
by Sarah Ray
Summary: Emilee is thrust into the magical world with a father that now hates her, her mother's dead, and I truly suck at summaries. Please read be critical I like it!
1. The invitation

"_So much has happened, yet nothing has changed all at the same time. My life will never be the same and that is fine with me_," my name is Emilee Jay Shine and I was ten and a half when I thought this. Now, I'm sixteen and whenever I'm home I can't wait to leave and go back to the boarding school mother and father send me to each fall. It's not your normal school. The teachers are real… witches! Okay there are some wizards too, but more then not they are female.

_It was in July just before my eleventh birthday in November and I got the strangest letter ever! Along with a confusing knock on the door by an odd old man with more hair then anyone should ever have. This ancient man not only had a beard (that was bright silver) that he could tuck into his belt, but he was wearing outrageous clothes. _

"_Hello Mr. Shine, my name is Albus Dumbledore and this must be Emilee," the wrinkled man said._

"_Yes, it is, hello Sir, but may I ask what you are doing here? Also, how you know our names," my rather flustered father asked._

"_Of course you may, if I may do something as well."_

"_What could that be? Oh, by the way please come in, I'm sorry I left you standing there feeling awkward."_

"_Nonsense I didn't feel the slightest bit awkward and all I was going to do was assume you had invited me nicely into your home, but you took care of my wants. Therefore I must return the favor, sir," there was a twinkle in the man's blue eyes and a crinkle at the edges as he smiled. "I am here to offer your daughter a place at my school. Not everyone gets this offer, and very few of them go to people like yourselves. By saying this I mean no offense at all of course."_

"_Of … course?" my father looked to me. Once I shrugged he looked back. "She's only ten, what school offers a place before the student is at least seventeen?"_

"_The school that only opens its doors to those eleven, or close enough, to seventeen year olds – we are a type of… boarding school, if you will, for special children."_

"_What do you mean special? I'm not stupid or touched!" I shouted while standing up._

"_Well, I would certainly hope not my dear girl; Hogwarts is not a school for those that lack intelligence. Aside from the usual anyway," he had chuckled before continuing. "As I was saying, we are a school for special children; ones that do not quite fit in among regular people. Dear girl, you are a witch."_

"_Now wait a minute! You cannot come into our home and call my daughter a –"_

"_I mean no disrespect, I'm telling you the honest truth Sir, and I know that you are a non-magical person, as was your wife so this is most definitely a shock. Your daughter is what we in the magical world would call a 'Muggle Born.' Muggle means non-magical," he was looking directly at my father while talking. "As I said I mean no disrespect when calling your daughter what she is, for she is a witch."_

"_How do you know I'm a witch?" I asked quietly._

"_Simple, have you ever made things happen when feeling some strong emotion?"_

"_I don't know… maybe."_

"_Do not be ashamed or frightened. Here is your letter alerting you to your acceptance, and I ask that you let me know whether or not you shall be joining us this year. If you are, there are steps we must take in getting both you, and your father ready."_

"_Daddy, what do you think?" I looked at him, he looked lost._

"_If you really are a- a witch and you want to go, then I can't stop you," he wasn't looking at me or anyone but at the floor._

"_I shall take that as a yes then, now if you wouldn't mind going out I may show you where you will buy your supplies."_

That was my first meeting with the magical world, and let me tell you it felt like hitting a brick wall or two!


	2. Getting to Know You

Like I said that was my first … um, exposure to the magical world, but since then I've experienced five school years at the best place in the world – Hogwarts. During my 'outing' with Professor Dumbledore I met more wizards, and witches in meer introductions. I saw other frightened looking children and some that looked extremely too 'in-the-know' or snooty. For lack of a better way to put it, I was freaking out and at that time my 'dad' wouldn't even look at me. It was only a little while later that he went from daddy to _my father_.

We visited Gringotts so that I could have some wizard money instead of the cash we had then it was robe fittings. All through the trip I would try to hold his hand, I was ten and alone and he wasn't caring about it. Once we had all of my new things I was getting over my nervousness because excitement was flooding in.

The older wizard left us alone in the Leaky Cauldron to go do whatever it a headmaster really does (I guess). It was as we left there that the caring rock I'd always had crumble into this sharp, hurtful guy that was just… there. He used to call me Lee or Melee just because it had made me laugh as a kid but as he hailed a cab he opened the door, glared towards me and all of my things and for lack of better words, spat, "Emilee, car, now." That was the last time he even used my name in front of me. From then on I was _her_, or _she_, or once when he was arguing with my mother, _YOUR CHILD_! I didn't even have a gender anymore. There were a lot of nights that I would cry to him, or yell at him, but I decided quickly that he would never take this, this chance from me. I was special, I was different, heck I was magical.

So, September 1st that year he had my mom drop me off at the station before she headed back to the hospital where he was waiting for her. She kissed me goodbye, and I headed towards Platform 9 ¾ thinking that it was just that easy. Instead I was lost, and alone… Until I heard a father talking in a giddy way to his wife; apparently, he just had to, _had to_ ask one muggle, one question.

That was my cue to follow the flaming headed troop in front of me. There were five boys and one small girl following the parents. They were really easy to keep in my sights so I knew where to go and what to do. Two of the boys pulled themselves back as the mother herded the others to their goal, which I couldn't see. They were right next to me. One of them dropped something and it bounced over towards my foot.

"_Bullocks George! Mum's gonna catch us with these!" One of the two said as he searched all around their space._

"_Nah, she's busy wif ittle Ronniekins and wee little Ginny dear, she ain't paying attention to us at all."_

"_Fine, but we don't need a muggle finding that, now do we?"The non-George boy said still looking about five feet off._

"_Alright, alright keep your shirt on Fred, I don't need you getting all mom-ish on me, I've got Perce for that," he laughed._

"_Shut up! I just don't like mom angry, and neither do you. You are only being calm because the whole lot of these aren't in your trunk, their in mine. So I'd be caught."_

"_No way, no muggle will find it, and even if they do it's not like they'll know what it is."_

"_True," Fred took a deep breath, smiled, "I guess you're right. Besides wouldn't it be hilarious if a muggle did?"_

_I looked down, the thing looked like a weird black-ish brown ball, nothing special, but knowing they were wizards (a family of wizards) I didn't trust it. I picked it up using only three fingers and held it away from myself and looked back at the boys. Leaving my cart for just a second I went up to them. Thankfully they hadn't moved around much so I could guess who was who from what I'd heard._

"_Um, is this what your looking for?" I asked holding it out._

"_Yeah! Thanks," the one I was pretty sure was George said making a grab for the 'thing.'_

"_Wait," I pulled my hand back, "what is it?"_

"_Oh, uh, just a thing that we were, uh, looking for. That's all," Fred looked around. "My, what a lovely day, we must be going, good day." And with quicker hands then I'd ever seen he grabbed the ball out of my hands and began to leave._

"_Hang on a second! I have a question besides the one about that," I pointed at the lump in his pocket._

"_Fine, just don't shout alright, our mum's right over there, you want to get us in trouble?" one of them asked._

"_No, but … could you help me to the platform? It's my first year, and I don't have anybody to help me out."_

"_Sure, I bet mum won't mind, dad will be thrilled. If you don't know how to do it, and your parents don't either I'd guess that means you're muggle-born?" the other one asked._

"_Yeah, just found out not long ago."_

"_Awesome, come on. By the way, I'm Fred, he's George," one said holding out his hand._

"_Hey, since it's our first year too why don't we start off in a good way?" the other asked shaking my hand as well. "We'll give you the secret to telling us apart. Ready Fred?"_

"_Ready George, but first what's your name?"_

"_Emilee, Emilee Shine, and why would you tell me of all people this secret?"_

"_Because… I don't know but you seem … alright in my book. Like later at Hogwarts you'd help us with what we do best," Fred said with a big grin._

"_That would be….?"_

"_Pranks," George said, "we are the best, and now we get to move on from our family, neighbors, and friends to show an entire school what we can do."_

"_Exactly, Emilee, and you seem alright. We're pretty good judges of character – its one reason we are so good – and you just seem like a good friend. Anyway do accept this invitation to our league of mischief?" Fred asked holding out his hand again, this time turned towards the floor. They waited watching me._

_I smiled, it seemed like fun, and these guys were funny… "Why not?" and I slapped my hand on Fred's with George putting his on last. "Now… the secret guys because I'll be honest I only know which ones which because you haven't moved."_

"_Sounds familiar, doesn't it George? Like so many other's she hasn't caught on… I had hoped by now she'd realize it. Perhaps she isn't someone we want around," Fred chewed his bottom lip looking at me with disappointment in his eyes._

"_I quite agree Fred, oh well. We'll help you to the train and with your stuff but after that your on your own, good day madam," he and Fred did small bows before they turned towards their parents._

"_Hang on; you said you'd tell me! Not fair!"_

"_Yes, but if we really are going to be friends, you should be able to tell. So, to us it isn't fair if we become friends with you not knowing who we are," George said._

"_Okay, give me a second, I'll figure it out, but first a hint is it physical like your voice or a spot or something?" They turned around again smiling._

"_Oh, we love games," Fred said._

"_Oh, yes we do," George agreed._

"_One hint then you get two guesses, get it right and we're back on to the track of fun –"_

"_Get it wrong and we are outta here… alright?" George asked._

"_Yeah, I'll get it," I smiled. "I'm pretty good at figuring stuff out like this."_

"_Really? All right then, to answer your question, it is physical, but not a spot or voice –"_

"_In fact it as nothing to do with our actual selves – it's an add on –"_

"_Indeed it is, George, now Emilee you have two guesses."_

"_Wait, okay, so it's on you but you weren't born with it… It's got to be small or not obvious, but something always there because if this is the secret it's always got to work…" I began to really look at them. "Can't be clothes, those change to much… Can't be any jewelry because that'd be obvious and neither of you have any on… So," after one more glance – I had it. "It's your shoes, there's something different about them."_

"_Okay, you got that far, but it's not our shoes," George said smiling._

"_Nope, that's one strike," Fred said putting up one finger._

"_But I didn't guess your shoes; I said it's something about your shoes. I bet it's your laces because you think no one would ever look there, and you think you are sooooo smart."_

_They didn't say anything and I finally looked up from their shoes to their faces. Big grins of shock and excitement were all over them. They rushed at me, giving me high fives._

"_Wow, no one's actually figured it out. Not even our parents realize it, they just figured we liked the colors," one said._

"_Yeah, now the real secret George, she's earned it," Fred leaned into my ear. "Ready? Mine are brown and his are black." He leaned away still smiling._

"_Not a big difference but something no one really catches onto," George said. _

"_Okay then," I beamed back._

"_Oi! You two, come on!" one of the older boys called._

"_That's Charlie, he's in his last year at Hogwarts, we better go, grab your cart and we'll let mum and dad know." _

And with that I met my two best friends, and didn't have to start in this brand new place all alone. I had hoped then that they wouldn't get me into trouble but… never mind I'll talk about that next time.

NOTE FROM …. ME

I know these are short, and far apart, but I just don't get the feeling anyone's pushing me to keep it going. I love writing, and Harry Potter (NOVEMBER 19TH IS SO CLOSE) but if you like this tell me. And just a by the way thing… this will get better I'm just pulling you up to speed where my mind is, it will also get older as you get caught up…. Any way tah-tah!


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